The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-02-08

Judge Abiel Leonard Fights and
Kills Taylor Berry-A Yankee
Who Accepted the Code.

| TdNcltcs I1ONdlu SOuhh.' AOOoOA y
no better Judge of law ever dwelt in
the State than he, while in the prime
of his manhood. He was small,
physically, and of a very delicate or.
ganization; but mentally he was a
giant. -
Something more than sixty-five
years ago, Taylor Berry, a wealthy
and influential citizen of Howard
county, a man of extensive posses
sions, a land speculator, who was
then dealing in what was known as
New Madrid claims, undertook to
cheat a poor woman out of her title
TO some real estate, and she employed
Abiel Leonard to defend her claim
in court. The trial came of and
Leonard was very pointed in his re-
marks toward Berry, ''the land.
shark" and gave him such an ex-
coriation that the woman gained her
suit.
The moment the parties left the
court house, Berry, who was large,
athletic, powerful man, attacked
Leonard with horse. whip.
LEONARD WAS A FULL FLOODED
YANKEE.
from New England, but as fall of
grit as bulldog. He was no match
for Berry in a physical contest, but
he insulted him in every way, by
splitting in his face and throwing dirt
on him. After the horse-whipping,
Berry said TO Leonard, 81 can whip
you but / am ready to receive any
communication from you" Leonard
promptly sent a challenge to Berry,
which was accepted. the bearer being
the late j. B. Clark, ST., of Fayette.
Jefferson Boggs. a brother of Gov.
Lilburn w. Boggs, was chosen as the
second of Leonard, and it was deter
mined that the duel should be fought
at Wolf Island, in the Mississippi, be-
low New Madrid, which was then
considered neutral ground between
Missouri and Kentucky. The weapons
selected were at that time, the well
known dueling pistols, or derringers,
distance, ten PAGES. DIR. Lowry, of
Fayette. and DR.. Dawson, of New
Madrid. were selected as surgeons.
TAYLOR BERRY
was nephew of General Taylor.
Abiel Leonard was at that time
States Attorney or Circuit Attorney,
and was afterward Judge of the
Supreme Court of the State. and dis
tinguished himself until his death
as leader in the councils of the
State. Both parties lived in Fayette,
which was then the political head
quarters of Missouri.
The father of Cyrenius Cox of st.
Joe Mo-, owned a very fine, feet
horse, which he rendered to Leonard
with the injunction to "be there in
time, for the principals and seconds,
with DR.. Lowry had to make the
journey to Wolf Island on horseback,
the trip requiring about two
weeks OF time. Berry managed
to get through ST. Louis
without difficulty but the authorities
had heard of the affair, and
determined to prevent it. An officer
of the law, while seeking for Leonard
whom he did not know personally,
came upon his second, MIR. Bsggs,
and inquired where he could find Mr..
Leonard. BOggs promptly informed
him that his name was Abel Leonard,
and the officer as promptly arrested
him and marched him off to jail.
Leonard at once selected a friend,
named French, to act in the place of
Boggs, and the two started down the
river. After Boggs thought the duel
was over. he revealed his true name,
and was released from custody.
LEONARD AND BERRY MET
at the designsted point, and the
work was soon over. The ten PAGES
were stepped off by the two seconds,
the parties were placed in position,
and the word given. At the first fire
Leonard's shot had grazed Berry, and
ali effort was made for settlement
without avail. A second
fire resulted in shot through Berry's
lungs, while Leonard escaped unhurt.
All parties considered that Berry was
fatally injured, and the Fayette party
Yended their way homeward. Berry
was taken to New Madrid, where he
partially recovered sufficiently to give
some attention to his business In New
Madrid, and wrote a cheerful letter to
his wife, who remained in Fayette. 1t
is supposed, however, that he exposed
himself too early and contracted
cold from which he died. No recon-
Citation took place between the par
ties.